Why We Need a Plan in Iraq
On September 30th, the most recent and 38th Ohioan died from wounds received in Iraq.
Allen Nolan, 38, of Marietta, Ohio was a Specialist in the United States Army Reserve. He was injured September 18th in Balad, Iraq while driving a tanker truck as part of a military convoy. He survived the attack and flown back to the United States, where despite all medical attention, he died of his injuries at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was scheduled to leave for home in just four days before he was attacked. Spc. Dan Johnson also a Mariettan, remembers "Nolan was a completely selfless individual...he always had a 'can-do' attitude."
Allen Nolan, 38, of Marietta, Ohio was also a worker in the Broughton Foods factory where he had worked for five years. Co-workers remember him as "one of the guys you never forget," "dedicated to his family" and "one of the good guys."
Allen Nolan, 38, of Marietta, Ohio was a father of five, who leaves behind a wife and five young children (three of which they had recently adopted). Their church has started a collection to help. His youngest natural son Keenan, 9 years old, told their pastor "The Lord must have needed him more than I did."
There have now been 1063 United States military fatalities in Iraq. Through September 4th, there had been 7531 wounded in action according to the DoD. Many left behind wives, husbands, children. Many with stories just like Allen Nolan.
Those that return home are "overloading" the VA health system, according to Military.com. There is a current backlog of 300,000 claims going back for decades with a new class of 150,000 eleigible thanks to their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Bush's proposed budget for 2005 cuts VA staff to handle these claims).
Let me as clear about this as I have ever been about anything on this blog. We have to win in Iraq. We have to succeed. No matter what anyone thinks about whether we should have gone over there in the first place., we are there now. It is ours. The Bush plan seems to be more of the same, a series of blunders both military and civilian. The administration has shown no sense of even being aware that problems exist. No mistakes have been conceded, no changes made. Kerry's plan seems to be- I'm not Bush! I'll hold a summit! Talking solves everything! Once I talk to other countries' leaders, they will want to send troops to die in our place! This will happen because...I'm not Bush!
We have the finest military in the history of the planet. They are the best trained, best equipped, and best soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen there has ever been. We all should think about them every day- living their lives on the front lines so we can live ours at home. The deserve our respect, our honor, and oureverlasting gratitude.
They also deserve a real strategy for Iraq. If we keep going down this path, we will find more of the same road ahead. More bombings, more attacks, more kidnappings. Our casualities have increased now for four straight months. Other countries have, or are considering, reducing their troop levels. We need to make a decision very soon, or it is going to be too late. We need to take the battle to these insurgents, removing their safe havens, removing their support and defeating them to the last man. If we lack the fortitude for this, if we do not want to see the higher casualties, if we will not do it, we need to get the hell out of the country as fast as we can. I thought we would have learned years ago that we cannot fight a war without fighting a war. The current situation in untenable, and must be changed. Because the middle ground where we are now standing is shrinking, and our miltary is paying the price. Allen Nolan and the others like him must not die in vain.
(By the way, 21 people died today in central Baghdad, with 85 wounded by car bombing attacks. Two hostages, an Iraqi and a Turk, were murdered. A police chief was killed when his car was sprayed by bullets. In Baquba, a 13-year old child was killed and eight others wounded by a mortar attack. 3 workers from the Ministry of Science and Technology were attacked, with 2 being killed. In Mosul, a car bomb attack killed 3 and wounded at least six, including two children critically wounded. Another car bomb in Eastern Mosul wounded a U.S. soldier. Over here in the US, any of these would be startling news. In Iraq, it's just another Monday.)
Allen Nolan, 38, of Marietta, Ohio was a Specialist in the United States Army Reserve. He was injured September 18th in Balad, Iraq while driving a tanker truck as part of a military convoy. He survived the attack and flown back to the United States, where despite all medical attention, he died of his injuries at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was scheduled to leave for home in just four days before he was attacked. Spc. Dan Johnson also a Mariettan, remembers "Nolan was a completely selfless individual...he always had a 'can-do' attitude."
Allen Nolan, 38, of Marietta, Ohio was also a worker in the Broughton Foods factory where he had worked for five years. Co-workers remember him as "one of the guys you never forget," "dedicated to his family" and "one of the good guys."
Allen Nolan, 38, of Marietta, Ohio was a father of five, who leaves behind a wife and five young children (three of which they had recently adopted). Their church has started a collection to help. His youngest natural son Keenan, 9 years old, told their pastor "The Lord must have needed him more than I did."
There have now been 1063 United States military fatalities in Iraq. Through September 4th, there had been 7531 wounded in action according to the DoD. Many left behind wives, husbands, children. Many with stories just like Allen Nolan.
Those that return home are "overloading" the VA health system, according to Military.com. There is a current backlog of 300,000 claims going back for decades with a new class of 150,000 eleigible thanks to their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Bush's proposed budget for 2005 cuts VA staff to handle these claims).
Let me as clear about this as I have ever been about anything on this blog. We have to win in Iraq. We have to succeed. No matter what anyone thinks about whether we should have gone over there in the first place., we are there now. It is ours. The Bush plan seems to be more of the same, a series of blunders both military and civilian. The administration has shown no sense of even being aware that problems exist. No mistakes have been conceded, no changes made. Kerry's plan seems to be- I'm not Bush! I'll hold a summit! Talking solves everything! Once I talk to other countries' leaders, they will want to send troops to die in our place! This will happen because...I'm not Bush!
We have the finest military in the history of the planet. They are the best trained, best equipped, and best soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen there has ever been. We all should think about them every day- living their lives on the front lines so we can live ours at home. The deserve our respect, our honor, and oureverlasting gratitude.
They also deserve a real strategy for Iraq. If we keep going down this path, we will find more of the same road ahead. More bombings, more attacks, more kidnappings. Our casualities have increased now for four straight months. Other countries have, or are considering, reducing their troop levels. We need to make a decision very soon, or it is going to be too late. We need to take the battle to these insurgents, removing their safe havens, removing their support and defeating them to the last man. If we lack the fortitude for this, if we do not want to see the higher casualties, if we will not do it, we need to get the hell out of the country as fast as we can. I thought we would have learned years ago that we cannot fight a war without fighting a war. The current situation in untenable, and must be changed. Because the middle ground where we are now standing is shrinking, and our miltary is paying the price. Allen Nolan and the others like him must not die in vain.
(By the way, 21 people died today in central Baghdad, with 85 wounded by car bombing attacks. Two hostages, an Iraqi and a Turk, were murdered. A police chief was killed when his car was sprayed by bullets. In Baquba, a 13-year old child was killed and eight others wounded by a mortar attack. 3 workers from the Ministry of Science and Technology were attacked, with 2 being killed. In Mosul, a car bomb attack killed 3 and wounded at least six, including two children critically wounded. Another car bomb in Eastern Mosul wounded a U.S. soldier. Over here in the US, any of these would be startling news. In Iraq, it's just another Monday.)
posted by Scott L. Stuart at
1:53 AM
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